Circular-knitting machine.



M. C. MULLER. CIRCULAR 'mmnme mAcmmE. APPLICAHO H'HLED JULY 26, 1915.

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MAX G. MILLER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO J ENGKES KNITTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PAJVTUGKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

aetitia.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

Application filed July 26, 1915; Serial No. 41,969.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MAX C. MILLER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Providence, in the county of Proyldence and State of Rhode Island, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knitting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

The invention will be understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the mechanism illustrated therein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing so much of a knitting machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the preferred form of the present invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a detail plan view showing a. part of the cam supporting cylinder; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings the invention is shown as, embodied in amachine for knitting seamless stockings or half hose, and in a mechanism constructed and operated to lengthen the stitch throughout a part of each course in those parts of the stocking in which a splic- 1 ing or thickening yarn is introduced, as, for instance, above the heel'or along the sole. In thismachine the needle cylinder 2 is provided with radial slots in which the needles 4 are mounted in the usual manner. The needle cylinder is rotated duringthe knitting of the leg and foot, and is reciprocatcd during the knit-ting of the heel and toe, by

motion changing mechanism which may be of any suitable construction. The needle cylinder is surrounded by a cam supporting cylinder 6 on which are mounted the needle depressing stitch cams 8 and 10, the needle elevating cams l2 and 14, the switch cams 16, 1S and 20, the needle lifting pickers 22, the needle depressing pickers 24, and the other needle controlling and operating dc vices usually incorporated in machines of this type. The upper ends of the needles are surrounded by a latch ring within which is supported a yarn holding and cut ting mechanism 28 which cooperates with the yarn carriers in withdrawing and 1.11- serting the yarn.- The latch ring is provided with a feed throat indicated at 30 through which the yarns are guided to the needles, and is also provided with a series of vertically movable yarn carriers and 34; which are raised and lowered by suitable mechanism to change the yarns or to introduce and withdraw the yarns. The yarn carrier 34 is intended to indicate a yarn carrier which may beoperated to introduce a splicing yarn during the knitting of a part of each course in certain parts of the stocking, as, for instance, to introduce a splicing yarn above the heel or throughout the sole of the stocking.

In applying the present invention to a machine having in general the construction above outlined, an auxiliary cam is provided which is arranged to act upon certain predetermined needles, and to depress these needles at the knitting point to a point below that to which the remaining needles are depressed by the main stitch cam, thus increasing the length of loops drawn in each course by the needles acted on by the auxiliary cam. Toinsure accurate and uniform work, the downward movement of the needles in passing the points of the stitch drawing cams should be limited, and means is accordingly provided for securing this result both when the auxiliary cam is in action and needles are being depressed to different points by the stitch and auxiliary cam, and when the auxiliary cam is out of action and all the 'needles are being depressed to the same point by the stitch cam.

In the construction shown the auxiliary cam 36 is mounted on the cam support 6, and is movable into and out of the path or shoulders 38 formed on the needles of th group or series of adjacent needles to which the splicing or thickening thread is to be fed. The cam is arranged directly above the stitch cam 8, and is formed on an arm 40. The arm is provided with a hub 42 surrounding a cylindrical support 44, and is provided with a projection 46 carrying a clamping screw 48 mounted to engage a knurled flange 50 on the support. The support is eccentrically mounted on supporting screws 52 which are screwed through brackets 54 on the cam cylinder, and are locked in position by locking bolts 56. By adjusting the eccentrically mounted support within the hub of thecam arm the vertical position of the cam when in active position may be varied to secure the desired length of stitch, and by adjusting the supporting screws the cam may be adjusted circumferentially of the needle cylinder to vary the knitting point or bring the cam into register with the main stitch cam 8. The support is rocked at" proper intervals during the knitting to swing the auxiliary cam 36 into or out of active position by a cam 58 arranged to engage one arm of a bell crank lever 60, the

other arm of which is connected by a link 62 with the end of the arm 40. Thelever is held in engagement with the cam by a spring 63. When the auxiliary cam is in active position, as indicated in the drawings, it will engage the'shoulders 38 of the needles to which the splicing yarn is fed, and will de- .pre'ss'thembelow the point to which they are depressed during the normal running of the machine by the stitch cam 8, the remaining needles being depressed to the usual point by the stitch cam When the'auxiliary cam is swung back so that it is out of action, all the needles will be depressed to the same point by the stitch cam. I

The means for determining or limiting the downward movement of the needles as they pass the point of the stitch cam 8 when't'he auxiliary cam is out of action, comprises a,

vertically movable support in the form 'of a spring plate 64 arranged to underlie and support the needle butts as they pass under the point of the stitch cam. The plate tends to spring into the position indicated in Fig.

3, and the means shown for controlling its position comprises a cam block 66 arranged to slide radially ofthe cam cylinder, and having an incline on its inner end adapted to pass under and lift the plate 64 into the dotted line position of Fig. 3. p The block 66,

is mounted in a guide secured to the cam cylinder, and is moved in and out at proper intervals by a cam 68 arranged to engage one end of a bell/crank lever 70, the other end of which is connected by'alink 72 with one arm of a lever 74, the other end of which I is provided with a slot engaging a pin 76 on The lever is held in engagethe block. ment with the cam 68 by a spring 78. When the auxiliary cam is oiit of action the block 66 is in its inner position, and holds the spring su-pporting'plate 64 in the dotted line position of Fig. 3, where it will act to limit and determine the downward movement of all the needles as the needle.;butts-pass the point of the stitch cam. When the auxiliary cam is. thrown into action, the bloclt'66 is withdrawn, and the plate 64 springs down into the full line position of Fig. 3. The plate will now act to determine the downwardzmovement of the needles, which are depressed by the auxiliary cam to a point belowthat to which the stitch cam.

The means shown for, limiting the downward movement of theneedles not ractegl upon by'the auxiliary cam while the aux illary cam is'in action comprises a series of slides or jacks 80 mounted in the needle grooves of the needle cylinder below the needles which are not. provided with shoul: ders 38. The jacks are held within the needle slots by, spring bands'82, and as the jacks and corresponding needles arepassing the knitting point, the lower ends of the they are depressed by jacks "are supported upon a plate 84 under-" lying the point of the stitch cam 8. The.

the periphery of that part of the needle cylinder about which'the knitting and other needle operating 0 are arranged. The

jacks thus lie w ol'ly. within the inner boundaries of the cams, so that theneedle .cylindermay be removed without disturbin these cams, which wouldnot be thecase i the jacks or any projection thereon extended ,materially beyond the, cam surrounded periphery: of the cylinder.

While the invention has been illustrated and described-as embodied in a mechanism for lengthening the stitch in that part of each course in which a splicing yarn is introduced, it will be' nnderstood that it is' not. confined in its application to sucha mechanism, but may be embodied in mecha-' nisms for otherwise lengthening the stitches drawn by certain needles throughout a part or all of the'knit fabric, struction and arrangement of the parts being varied or modified as found desirable or best suited to the machine in which it is the specific conembodied, or the'characteristics of the fab-' ric' to be produced. A

.It will also be understood that certain features of the invention are not confined in their application to machines provided with stitch varying mechanism, but may be embodied with advantage in other forms of knitting machines.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of mechanism in which it may be embodied, what is claimed. is

1. A. circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylii'ider, needles mounted therein, a main stitch cam for depressing the needles, and an auxiliary stitch cam in substantially vertical alinement with the main cam for depressing some of the needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the main stitch cam.

2. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, needles mounted therein, a main stitch cam for depressing the needles, an auxiliary stitch cam in substantially vertical alinement with the main cam for depressing some of the needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the main stitch cam, and means for rendering the auxiliary cam active or inactive.

A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, aneedle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for depressing the needles, an auxiliary cam in substantially vertical alinement with the main cam for depressing a segmental group of adjacent needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the switch cam, and means for rendering the auxiliary cam active or inactive.

r. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for depressing the needles, means for feedinga splicing thread to a segmental group of needles during the knitting of each course, an auxiliary cam for depressing said group of needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the stitch cam, and means for rendering the auxiliary cam active or inactive.

5. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein, a segmental group of which are provided with. shoal ders, a stitch cam for depressing the needles, an auxiliary cam in substantially vertical alinement with the main cam for engaging the shoulders on the shouldered group of needles and depressing them to a point be low that to Which the remaining segmental group of needles are depressed by the stitch cam, and mechanism for rendering the auxiliary cam active or inactive.

6. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, needles mounted therein, a main stitch cam for operating the needles, an auxiliary stltch cam in substantially vertical alinement with the main cam for depressing some of the needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the main stitch cam, and means for determining the downward movement of the needles depressed by the main and auxiliary cams. I

T. A circular knitting; machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein; a stitch cam. for operating the needles. an auxiliary cam in substantially vertical alincment with the main cam for depressing a segmental group of adjacent needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the stitch cam, means for rendering the auxiliary cam active or inactive, and means for determining the downward movement oi the needles depressed by the stitch and auxiliary cams.

83A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, aneedle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for depressing the needles, an auxi iary cam for depressing some of the needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the stitch cam, a support for the needles o rated on by the auxiliary cam movable to limit the downward movement of the needles when depressed by the stitch cam and when depressed by the aux iliary cam, and means for limiting the downward movement of the needles not operated on by the auxiliary cam.

9. A circular knitting machine, having. in combination, a needle cylinder. a circular series of needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for depressing the needles, an auxiliary cam for depressing, some of the needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the stitch cam, means for rendering the auxiliary cam active or in active, a support for the needles below the point of the stitch cam, means for depressing said support when the auxiliary cam rendered active, and supporting means below the point of the stitch cam for supporting the needles not operated on by the auxiliary cam.

10. A circular knitting machine, having, in con'ibination, a needle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for depressii'ig' the needles, an auxiliary cam tor depressing some of the needles be low the point to which the needles are depressed by the stitch cam, means for rendering the auxiliary cam active or inactive, a support tor the needles acted on by the auxiliary cam movable to limit the downward movement of the needles when do pressed by the stitch cam and when depressed by the auxiliary cam, and jacks for limiting the downward movement of the needles not acted on by the auxiliarycam.

11. A circular knltting machine, having,

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in combination, a needle cylinder, a circular series of needles mounted therein, some of which are provided with. shoulders, a stitch cam for depressing the needles, an auxiliary cam movable into and out of active position for engaging the shoulders on the shouldered needles, a vertically movable support below the point of the stitch cam, jacks for supporting the needles not acted on by the auxiliary cam, and a support for the jacks below the point of the stitch cam.

12. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for operatirng the needles, an auxiliary cam for depressing some of the needles: below the point to which the needls are depressed by the stitch cam, a support for limiting the downward movement of the needles depressed by the auxiliary cam, jacks under the needles not acted on by the auxiliary'cam, and a limiting support for the jacks registering with the stitch cam.

13. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, needles mounted therein, a main stitch cam for operating the needles, an auxiliary cam for depressing some of the needles below the point to which the needles are depressed by the stitch cam adjustable vertically and circumferentially of the needle cylinder.

14. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, needles mounted therein, a stitch cam for depressing: the needles, a vertically movable support below the point of the stitch cam for limiting the downward movement of the needles, and mechanism for automatically controlling the position of the support during the operation of the machine.

MAX C. MILLER. 

